Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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(b) Brahmins
The second great pillar of the caste system was the Brahmin.
The caste and the position of the Brahmins in this system 'is the
fundamental institution of Hinduism.'1 It is the Brahmins who were
the ideologues of the caste system, and the Dharma was the exclusive
product of the Brahmins. 'Dharma, that is, ritualistic duty, is the
central criterion of Hinduism;'2 and the Brahmins were the grandmasters
of the ceremonies. Even otherwise, the Brahmins were
the kingpin of the caste system. The 'whole- system turns on the
prestige of the Brahmin,'3 The 'central position of the Brahmins
in Hinduism rests primarily upon the fact that social rank is
determined with reference to Brahmins.'4 The 'Brahmin reception
or rejection of water' and food is the measure of the status of any
given caste in a given place,'5
It has been noted that the Brahmins and Khatris, used to be a
privileged caste status, remained aloof when the Khalsa, with complete
equality of castes, was created, In the census of 1881, of the total
number of Brahmins only about 7,000 were Sikhs. The denial of the
superiority claimed by the higher castes, which distinguished the
teaching of Guru Gobind Singh, was not acceptable to the
Brahmins,6 For this reason the number of Sikh Brahmins was
very low, even though the Brahmins were the third most numerous
caste in the Punjab, outnumbering all but Jats and Rajputs.'7 The
proportion of Brahmins in the population 'steadily changes with
the prevailing religion, ....it gradually decreases from east to west,
being markedly smaller in the central and Sikh districts,'8 These
facts are very significant. 'The Brahmins have no territorial
organisations, They accompany their clients in their migrations"9
There- fore, the insignificant number of Brahmins in the Sikh
population corroborates the well known fact that the Sikhs have
no priestly class, much less.10 hereditary Levite caste, having
vested interests in maintaining a hierarchical structure in the Sikh
society.
By eliminating the influence of Brahmins in the Panth, the Sikh
society eliminated the kingpin of the caste system from within its
ranks. Max Weber has made a clear distinction between Hindu castes
and non-Hindu castes, 'There are also castes among the Mohammadans